


After His Fall

by OddestWriter



Category: Celtic Mythology, Táin Bó Cúailnge, Ulster Cycle
Genre: Cu is still dead, Cumhall and Liath Luachra are more cameos anyhow, Domestic, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, I'll post things with him alive eventually, Is Fionn's dad's name spelled Cumhall or Cumhaill?, More post Cu Ulster Cycle, Moving On, Sort Of, as domestic as it gets in Dun Scaith lmao, sort domestic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28598988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OddestWriter/pseuds/OddestWriter
Summary: He had fallen, she had not. She remained, he had not.What will come once you have come to terms with emptiness?She has come to term with this emptiness.And in the land of Alba, a new story begins after that emptiness draws to a close.
Relationships: (IMPLIED), Emer/Uathach, Past Cu Chulainn/Emer





	After His Fall

**Author's Note:**

> More Emer and Uathach, just cause I wrote a bit for these two a while back, so here's more! This time, also features cameos from the Fenian Cycle. Constructive Criticism is welcomed and encouraged, and I hope you enjoy!

Emer didn’t return to Ulster after the burial of Cu Chulainn, choosing instead to linger in Dun Scaith. Scathach or Uathach didn’t object, it was nice to have an actually decent cook around.

One day, as Emer was tending to a stew, Uathach asked, “Why don’t you return to Ulster? Medb is dead, an invasion can’t be leveled at it now. I would think you wish to return to your home.”

Emer didn’t look away from the meal she was cooking, “I don’t think I could....I don’t think I could stay in that house again.”

Uathach only nodded, before standing and leaving. Emer remained tending to the stew. The smell permeated throughout Dun Scaith, the spices and meats mixing in a pleasant aroma.

When the stew was finally prepared, Uathach arrived first, with Scathach and her new following. The children were energetic and happy, excited for a meal after a long day. Emer set off to the side from the students, sitting alone with her bowl. Uathach sat across from her.

“Oh?” Emer asked, surprised at the company.

“It would be rude of me to leave you at your lonesome.” Uathach smiled, “You have been quite a help around here.”

Emer allowed a small smile, “Was the food really that bad before I got here?”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Uathach laughed, before leaning closer to Emer, whispering, “But there’s probably a reason Cu Chulainn got so hooked on your cooking after going to it from mother’s.”

Emer giggled, even as Scathach's eyes bore into them from across the room.

…

Uathach grew closer to Emer in the coming weeks, becoming Emer’s closest companion in Dun Scaith. Uathach would linger in the kitchen Emer prepared meals, Emer would wait near the training fields as Uathach slowly took over for her mother in training students.

In the beginning, the two talked of Cu Chulainn often, sharing admiration of him, Emer telling of his adventures in Ulster, Uathach telling of his time in Dun Scaith. Emer would speak of his more comic moments; his lack of a sense of direction, his obsession with puppies, making sure to visit every newly birthed litter. Uathach would speak of his over eager and reckless approach to training; when Scathach told the students to dodge her attacks, Cu Chulainn would charge right towards her, crying “She can’t throw weapons if she’s defeated.”

It never succeeded until the day the Hound graduated from Dun Scaith.

Over time, their talks grew to encompass more subjects. They still talked of Cu Chulainn, of course, but other topics grew in frequency. 

Eventually, one year, when Scathach finally retired from teaching, her body finally unable to keep up with her previous feats, there was a boom in students. Probably due to the expectation that Uathach would be significantly less deadly than Scathach.

Uathach gave all those who came a chance to leave, and told the children to sit out.

“Get through me, and into Dun Scaith, and you will be taken on as students. I will make it easier for you.”

After that, Uathach tied one arm to the small of her back, and beckoned for the warriors to come.

Not a single warrior in that charge made it past the gates.

“I wanna try!” A young child cried, hair as white as the snows falling around him.

Uathach frowned, “I do not recommend it, child, you saw what happened to the grown warriors.” Uathach gestured to the blood stained snows and the warriors fleeing towards the hills.

The child did not respond, only charging forward. Uathach tossed her spear aside, intending to simply grab the child. But the child did something strange. He reached into the bag slung on his back, pulling a spear, much too large for both the bag and his small frame from it.

“What the-” Uathach murmured, before the child dropped the spear, the moment the spearhead collided with the ground, the snow exploded into a cloud of steam.

Uathach quickly dove for her spear, grabbing it and spinning it, the motion dispelling the steam.

The child was nowhere to be seen.

Uathach looked around, before a voice cried.

“I DID IT!”

Uathach turned, seeing the boy cheer from inside the walls of Dun Scaith.

Uathach sighed, “You're a clever boy.”

“Indeed,” a young girl said, hair bright like flames, walking by him, “Of course, I can still beat him in a fight.”

“Well that’s an interesting claim,” Uathach laughed, bending down to pick up the boy’s spear.

“Well, well, well.” Emer laughed, calling down to Uathach from the Dun’s walls, “Looks like you’ve got two pupils! Congratulations!.”

“Wha-” Uathach said, before realizing the flame-haired girl had joined the boy in Dun Scaith’s walls.

Uathach sighed, “I guess you’re right.”

Uathach walked over to the two, “What are your names?”

“Cumhall!” The boy with snow hair declared, happily accepting his spear back, replacing it into his sack.

“Liath Luachra.” The girl said, watching Cumhall struggle to repack his spear.

…

That night, Emer laughed, “It’s funny that out of all the people who came to be your students, the two who succeeded were the youngest.” 

“Shut up,” Uathach groaned, tired from having gotten the young children settled in.

“And that one of them got in, talking to you, because you got distracted.” Emer laughed, “Pretty clever of the kid.”

Uathach slammed a pillow over Emer’s head, “Shut up.”

Emer only giggled, wrapping her arms around the current mistress of Dun Scaith, “Goodnight,  _ teacher _ .”

“Shut up.” Uathach groaned, even though she returned the hug.


End file.
